DEXTER, Mich. — Lansing Common FC began its 2023 Midwest Premier League campaign in a contentious, hard-fought match, drawing 1-1 against Futsal Factory Academy on Sunday, May 21. The result slots the Robins into fifth place in the Great Lakes West Division (0-1-0, 1 point), while Futsal Factory Academy sits in sixth after earning its first point of the season (0-1-2, 1 point).
Both teams would start the match in a frenzy as the squads traded opportunities within the first ten minutes. Futsal Factory would earn the first shot on goal in just under a minute into the match on the counter, but goalkeeper Sam Spiegel was able to come up with the save inside his six-yard box.
After a plethora of chances for the Robins, LCFC would strike first as Ali Ahmad’s debut goal in the ninth minute broke the deadlock. Ahmad, a Lansing native, would finish his Robins debut with the season-opening goal in 76 minutes played.
The hosts would find their way back into the match after Lansing dominated possession throughout a majority of the first half hour. After dealing with a dangerous set piece inside the final third, the Robins committed a foul just outside the 18-yard box to give Academy another dangerous opportunity. After failing to deal with the initial cross, Academy found pay dirt as a shot from inside the penalty area beat Spiegel to his far post to knot the game at 1-1.
Both teams would struggle to break the deadlock in the final minutes of the first half with neither side able to muster enough quality in the final third to break the tie heading into the break.
Fireworks ensued early in the second half as Lansing midfielder Jack Beck was escorted off the pitch after picking up a straight red card for a foul outside the Robins’ 18-yard box. With FFA on the counter, Beck was entangled with his Academy counterpart with both players jockeying for position. Having their arms entangled, the duo eventually fell to the ground resulting in the referee’s decision to award an Academy free kick and reducing Common to 10 men for the remainder of the match. The ensuing free kick would be wasted as Academy soared the chance well above the goal.
Both teams would continue to trade blows even after Lansing was hemmed to 10 men. The Robins continued to press when available, thwarting any organized effort from FFA to move through the middle of the pitch as the game approached the hour mark.
The controversy would continue as the match entered the final half hour as FFA was awarded a penalty kick in the 68th minute after LCFC defender Kevin Payne was penalized for a foul on the edge of the penalty area. Payne was interlocked with an Academy forward, and after close contact led to Payne being shoved to the ground, Academy was awarded the spot kick.
With a point on the line, Spiegel went the right way, saving the penalty kick as it looked to be sneaking into the bottom-right corner of the goal to keep the game level, 1-1. Spiegel would finish the match with six saves on the day.
After making like-for-like position substitutions late in the match, the Robins looked poised to steal the remaining two points on the day, earning the last few chances as Academy looked to play for the draw.
Lansing Common had its best chance to take the lead go awry in the 93rd minute after an incredible effort by substitute Thierno Doucoure. Doucoure, who won the ball in the middle of the park, dribbled past three defenders before finding Victor Toune along the wing. After skipping past his defender, Toune’s cross found Doucoure in the box, but his attempted header went just over the crossbar and the final whistle blew moments later to see LCFC hold on for a draw and earn a valuable point on the road.
Up Next
The Robins continue on their six-match road stretch, beginning the month of June with a weekend doubleheader against Great Lakes Conference foes Michigan Jaguars FC and Michigan Stars FC U23. The Robins will travel to Walled Lake Central High School to face the Jags on Friday, June 2, before finishing the weekend in Washington, MI against Stars on Sunday, June 4. Both matches are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m.
Scoring Summary
9’ – After an initial counterattack by the Robins was thwarted, forward Brandon Dixon caught an Academy defender in possession and won the ball before trotting towards goal. After beating the first defender, Dixon was dispossessed inside the 18-yard box and the ball whipped across the box towards Ahmad. In calm fashion, Ahmad’s right-footed half-volley found its way past the keeper and into the bottom right corner of the net. LCFC 1, FFA 0
29’ – With a free kick just outside the Lansing penalty area, Academy whipped in a cross that could not find a man and made its way to the edge of the penalty area. With a right-footed strike, Academy was able to slot the ball through traffic, beating Spiegel to the left-hand corner of the net, evening the score. LCFC 1, FFA 1